Hydraulic clutch.



-No. 848,510. PATENTED MAR. 26, 1907.

' B. T. L. THOMSON.

HYDRAULIO- CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1906.

' 2 SHEETSSHEBT 1.

R ,z 72 'F z e 9' y f y H P a I d ,5 W J Z I j a a I 1 v ""1 O I %z/%wfiw a, wasumomu. D- a nu: NORRIS PETERS C Na. 848,510, PATENTED MAR. 26, 1907.

13., T. L. THOMSON.

HYDRAULIC CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1906.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' ww ntot WWW ZZM m: seams "runs ca.. uusuiucron, o. e.

BENJAMIN T. L. THOMSON, OF CLAPHAM COMMON, ENGLAND.

HYDRAULIC CLUTCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. March 26, 1907.

Application filed ilanuary 29,1906- Serial No. 298,5 63.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN THoMAs LINDSAY THOMSON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, of 117 North Side, Clapham' Common, in the county of Surrey, England, have invented a new and useful Improve ment in Hydraulic Clutches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to hydraulic clutches used for bringing machinery into motion gradually and without shock, and also for altering at will the speed of machinery so driven, and especially suitable to act as a clutch upon a motor-car.

It has reference more especially to improvements upon the hydraulic clutch for which a patent was granted to G. Sparks, dated September 12, A. D. 1905, and numbered 799,102.

The objects of my improvement are, first, to make the clutch very simple and effective, and, second, to reduce its liability to get out of order. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, showing the hydraulic clutch applied to a motorcar, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the entire hydraulic clutch." Fig. 2 is a front view Fig. 3, a transverse section of the recess in the disk by which the clutch is operated, and Fig. 4 is a section on line 7 7 of Fig. 1.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

a is an outer cylindrical case, of metal, one end of which b, is open and is firmly bolted or attached to the side of the fly-wheel c of the motor, a tight joint being made between them. Near the other or outer closed end d of the case a (which end is of smaller diameter than the other end) I bolt upon its outer circumference a chamber or pocket 6, and into this chamber e a metal abutment block or diaphragm f, moving radially in or out in guides g, can be forced in or drawn out, as de sired. Acentral metal sleevemis attached to the center of the outer or closed end of the cylinder a, and through it passes centrally the shaft 11, connected with the gear which is to be driven by the fiy-wheel 0 when the clutch is in operation, a stuffing-box 3' being provided upon the end of the cylinder at (Z, through which the shaft i passes. On the inside of the outer end d of the chamber is formed an annular chamber is, the two concentric cylinders Z and m, formed upon or fixed to the cylinder, being open at their inner end and forming between them a chamber is, having its inner end open into the cylinder a. h is a screw by which the sleeve 'm is held in position.

The central shaft 11, which passes through the sleeve or inner cylinder m, is stationary when the clutch is out of operation, although the fly-wheel c and outer cylindrical case a are revolving when the motor is working. In order to couple or clutch the shaft i and the fly-wheel 0 together when required, I fix firmly upon the inner end of the shaft 91 a metal disk 0, the edge of which n can revolve freely inside the cylinder a, and this disk, together with the shaft i, can be drawn toward or removed from the open end of the annular chamber 76, formed by the concentric cylinders Z and m, as above described, by meansof a foot-lever operated by the driver of the motor-car inthe usual way, (the details not being shown in the drawings, as they form no part of the present invention) and upon the face of the disk 0 is fixed or formed a strong projecting arm or piston p, parallel with the central shaft i and of such shape that when thedisk 0 is moved toward the open end of the annular chamber 7c by the driver of the car the projecting arm p enters into the annular chamber, in which it fits freely, so that when the shaft i is stationary the annular chamber 7c, together with the outer cylinder a and the fly-wheel c, to which the latter is attached, revolve round it. The object of the clutch is therefore to connect the annular chamber and the arm or piston 19, which projects into it, more or less immovably together, so that the central shaft i may be car ried round with the engine fly-wheel c and drive the gear in the usual way.- For this purpose I fit into the projecting chamber 6, outside the cylinder, a radial metal plate or block f, (which may be called a drivingblock,) the inner end of which passes freely through a slot in the outer one, Z, of the cylin ders (Z and m) which form the annular cham ber 7c, so that it forms a diaphragm or stop across the latter, which may be made to fill entirely or partly, as may be required, the annular chamber 76, (in cross-section.)

The entire apparatus is filled with oil or other suitable liquid through a valve or open ing 3, arranged in an accessible position in the outer cylinder (1 and which may also be made (if desired) to act as a relief-valve should unnecessary pressure of the oil from any cause arise.

ITO

In order to free the clutch, thefoot-pedal must be depressed, by which the metal disk 0 upon the central shaft is brought back toward. the fly-wheel c and at the same time the radially-sliding plate or driving-block f is automatically withdrawn outward (by the means hereinafter described) into the cham ber c outside the outer cylinder (L. Nhen the foot is taken oil the pedal, the metal disk 0 is brought against the inside of the outer case a, (or against a projecting rim inside the latter,) and at the same time the outer part of the face of the disk near its edge forces back a bar 25, movable endwise, which is projected by a strong spring from the inner part of the supplementary chamber 0 into the cylinder 0, and this proje .ting bar t at its other end is connected with a toothed bar or rack a, operating a wheel o, and a toothed rack upon the outer edge of the drivingblock f, which forces the driving block or plate fradially inward, so that it forms a diaphragmmore or less filling the annular channel 7c, the open end of which at the same time closed by the disk 0. In this position if the sliding block f and the piston or bar 7), projecting from the disk 0, fitted the annular channel 76 so closely that no liquid could. pass the projecting bar or piston. p could not pass independently along the annular channel 7i: and would be carried round with the latter as if the whole constituted one solid mass, while by withdrawing the projecting bar 7') more or less from the annular chamber 7r th shaft i will be clutched to the outer cylinder a and fly-wheel c by means of the intervening fluid,*m0re or less positively, according to the space opened by the withdrawal of the pisten 19.

In order to prevent the possibility of the projecting fixed arm (or piston) p upon the metal disk 0 striking the sliding drivingbloekf, I groove out the rim of the disk at to, as shown separately in Fig. 2, which is a front view of part of the disk 0, showing the recess or groove 10, F 3, being a longitudinal section through the recess. The ends of the recess w are inclined, so as to allow the end of the arm t, which is shown provided with a friction-roller as, to enter and leave the recess w gradually. The recess is directly radially outside the projecting arm 7), so that the movable sliding bar 25 can be forced outward by the spring a to draw out the sliding driving-block f, (exactly at the right time,) and thus allows the piston-bar 2') upon the disk to clear it as it passes round the annular chamber la.

The details of construction may be varied more or less, as may be found advisable. For instance, two similar chambers diametrically opposite to each other, may be used, with driving-blocks f, toothed bar y, toothed. bars a, and gear 0 on the disk 0.

Instead of being fixed upon the shaft 6 the memo disk 0 may be fixed upon the end of a sleeve fitting on the shaft 01, so that it can move endyvise, but cannot revolve upon the latter. This sleeve passes through the stullmg-box upon the end of the cylinder at d and is provided upon its outer end with a clutch connected to the pedal, so that the sleeve and the disk 0, carried by it, can be pressed forward. when desired in. the manner alrea l v de scribed, a helical s 'iring surrrmnding the sleeve being interposed between the eluieh and the stuffing-box. The shaft 1', does iiol move endwise.

The projecting arm or piston p need not be entirely withdrawn from the annular ehamber 7t, and to render its revolving movement with. the disk c more easy a passage may he made between the annular space /r and the interior of the case (1/, the passage being closed by a valve closed by a strong spring and vvit hdrawn by means of a lever and rod aeted upon by a flange upon. the face of the eluleh upon the stu'lling-box. so that when the laiter is pushed in by the pedal the valve is at. tl 3 same time opened and an additional passage opened. for the free passage of the oil or other liquid as the piston p revolves.

The hydraulic clutch described very simple and eli ective andv not liable to gel oar of order.

Having fully described my invention, ivhai I desire to claim. and secure by Letters ar ent is 1. in a hydraulic clutch of the character described, the combination with the driving member, of a hollow casing connected thereto, a driven member projecting into said ens ing, an annular chamber formed wi iin said casing, a fluid therein, a member carried lrv said driven member and adapted to be projected into said annular chamber, a sliding member, and means for automatieally projecting said sliding member into said annular chamber. substantially as described.

2. In a hydraulic clutch of the eharaeter described, the combirnttirm with the dri ing member, of a hollow casing connected ihereto, a driven member projectinginto said easing, an annular chamber formed within said casing, a fluid. therein, a member carried by said driven member and adapted to be projected into said annular chamber, a sliding member, and means for automatically projecting and. withdriuving said sliding member into and from said annular chamber, so list antially as described.

3. In a hydraulic clutch of the eharaeler descriliied, the combination with the driving member, of a hollow casing connected thereto, a driven member projecting into said ens ing, an annular chamber formed within said casing, a fluid therein, a piston arried b said driven member and adapted to he jli'o jected into said annular chamber, a sliding member, means for projecting said sliding Inember-Within said annular chamber, and means for momentarily and automatically Withdrawing said sliding member to clear said piston, substantially as described.

4 In a hydraulic clutch of the character described, the combination With the driving member, of a main casing connected thereto,

a driven member projecting into said casing,

an annular chamber formed Within said main casing, a fluid therein, a member carried by said driven member and adapted to be projected into said annular chamber, a supplemental casing, a sliding member arranged therein and adapted to be projected into said annular chamber, and means for automatically Withdrawing said sliding member from said annular chamber, substantially as described.

5. In a hydraulic clutch of the character described, the combination With the driving member, of a main casing connected thereto, a driven member projecting into said casing, a disk mounted on the inner end of said driven member, an annular chamber formed Within said main casing, a-fluid therein, a piston carried by said disk and adapted to be projected into said annular chamber, a supplemental casing, a sliding member arranged therein, mechanism actuated by said disk to project said sliding member into said annular chamber When said piston is Within said chamber, and means for automatically Withdrawing said sliding member upon the WithdraWal of said piston, substantially as described.

6. In a hydraulic clutch of the character described, the combination With the driving member, of a main casing connected thereto, a driven member projecting into said casing, a circular disk mounted on the inner end of said driven member, an annular chamber formed Within said main casing, a fluid therein, a piston carried by said disk and adapted to be projected into said annular chamber, a supplemental casing, a sliding member arranged therein, a rack carried by said sliding member and engaginga toothed Wheel, a rack-bar arranged at right angles to said first-mentioned rack and engaging a toothed Wheel mounted on a shaft with said firstmentioned Wheel, the inner end of said lastnamed rack-bar being adapted to normally project Within the main casing, whereby When the said driven member is moved to project the said piston Within the said annular chamber, the said disk Will actuate said rack-bar to project said sliding member Within said chamber, and means for auto matically'WithdraWing said sliding member, substantially as described.

7. In a hydraulic clutch of the character described, the combination With the driving member, of a main casing connected thereto, a driven member projecting into said casing, a circular disk mounted on the inner end of said driven member, an annular chamber formed Within said main casin a fluid therein, a piston carried by said dislr and adapted to be projected into said annular chamber, a supplemental casing, a sliding member arranged therein, a rack carried by said sliding member and engaging a toothed Wheel, a rack-bar arranged at right angles to said first-mentioned rack and engaging a toothed Wheel mounted on a shaft With said firstnamed Wheel, the inner end of said lastnamed rack-bar being adapted to project Within said main casing and to be actuated by said disk on said driven member to project said sliding member into said annular chamber, and a spring arranged on the other end of said rack-bar to Withdraw said sliding member When said driven member is moved to unclutch, substantially as described.

8. In a hydraulic clutch of the character described, the combination With the driving member, of a main casing connected thereto, a driven member projecting into said casing, a circular disk mounted on the inner end of said driven member, an annular chamber formed Within said main casing, a fluid therein, a piston carried by said disk and adapted to be projected into said annular chamber, a supplemental casing, a sliding member arranged therein, a rack carried by said sliding member and engaging a toothed Wheel, a

rack-bar arranged at right angles to said first-named rack and engaging a toothed Wheel mounted on a shaft With said firstnamed Wheel, the inner end of said lastnamed rack-bar being adapted to project Within said main casing and to be actuated by said disk on said driven member to project said sliding member into said annular chamber, an antifriction-roller mounted in the projecting end of said rack-bar, a spring ar ranged at the other end of said rack-bar to Withdraw said sliding member, said actuatingdisk being provided With a recess above and extending a short distance on both sides of the said piston, Whereby the said rock-bar Will enter said recess as the main casmg moves around and the sliding member Will be momentarily Withdrawn to clear the said piston and then again projected into the annular chamber, substantially as described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

B. T. L. THOMSON. Witnesses:

ARTHUR E. EDWARDS, DOROTHY K. BOYLE. 

